in their own eyes Isai 5. 20 21. Christ said If the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness See Mat. 6. 22 23. See Luke 11. 34 35 36. See Joh. 12. 35. Observe it is No Proof that these good things are not their duty because they do not see them to be so for it is undeniable that it is the duty of all Men Women to believe in the one Eternal God but some were of old and now are so blinded by the God of this world their minds so darkned and they so hardened in the practice and love of sin that they did not nor do see or believe that there is a God as it 's written The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God And again Christ said to the great professing Jews High Priests Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites who were as the whited Walls Graves and painted Sepulchres but within were full of rottenness hypocrisie and deceit Ye neither know Me nor my Father ye neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God Again it is the duty of every man and woman to believe in the true Light of Christ that lighteneth every man that cometh into the World but it 's known by lamentable Experience that even many of the Professors of Christianity are far from believing in it who on the contrary are Blaspheming against it Mocking and Scoffing at it persecuting and oppressing the Children of it and opposing the Testimony of it Now if these do say We do Not see or believe it to be our Duty to believe in and obey the Light it doth Not therefore follow that it is not their Duty and if they say We see believe it is our Duty to speak and write against the Light and to punish you who profess and obey it Their so saying will Not prove that these their Evil Works are their Duty to God and Christ no not at all but the Contrary But to come closer to the Professors of the Light within hear what Christ and the Prophet saith viz. This Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes they have closed lest at any Time they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and should understand with their Heart and should be converted and I should heal them See Math. 13. 14 15. Acts 28. 26 27. The Author to the Hebrews writ thus concerning Christ viz. And he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him called of God an high Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing Ye are Dull of hearing or as it is rendered in the Margin out of the Greek Hath no Experience for when for the Time ye ought to be Teachers Ye have Need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Word or Oracles of God See Heb. 5. 9 10 11 12. Again Christ speaking a Parable concerning the Kingdom of God saith For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath and cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness c. See Math. 25. 29 30. Observe the sloathful Servant who had not improved his Lords Talent was and is to be cast into utter darkness his Talent being taken from him Such an one in Darkness may talk of Light as Job saith Death and Destruction saith We have heard of the fame of Wisdom such an one may talk of the Light who in his dark Works Denies it and opposeth it and contends against the Children of it in their pure Obedience to it and Such an one may say to the Children of the Light I do not see that to be my Duty which you practise I say how should he see who is shut up in utter darkness whose wilful disobedience has brought him to be like the deaf Adder which stoppeth his Ears which will not hear as it 's written Again Jesus said unto them Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light lest Darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth while ye have the Light believe in the Light that you may be the Children of Light John 12. 35 36. Observe They who believe in the Light as Christ commands and obey it in its first and smallest Manifestations they in that Light Cannot oppose what the Light brings forth In others for though Some who are turned to the Light and have believed in it and in some measure obeyed it Do not see so Much or so Far into the things of God as some others who are more grown and Established and have received a greater Measure of Divine Wisdom yet Cannot these Weak or Young ones by the motion or teaching of the Light contradict oppose or contend against what the same Light brings forth in others of the Children of it foâ— if this Could be then God whose gift to Man and Woman the Light is would thereby be the Author of Confusion and not of Peace in the Churches of the Saints as is observed before in this Epistle but God Is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints as the Apostle hath writ which is observed before It is true as the Prophet writ O Lord in thy Light we shall see more Light c. The Path of the Just is as the shining Light which shines more more unto the perfect day It is certainly true that we find it harder in this Age to perswade some people to keep and walk in the Light than it was to turn them to it and some like Balaam having been opened by it to see the blessed end of the Righteous do still retain a Profession of it though they rebel against it and desire to die the death of the Righteous as Balaam did but refuseth to live that Self-denying Christian life which leads to that good End Christ saith Loe I come and my reward is with me to give unto every one according as his works shall be And the Apostle saith Such as every one sows such shall he reap he that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body or flesh then shall ye live The Apostle Paul writ thus to the Children of the Light Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample See
their kind and every thing that Creepeth upon the Earth after his kind and God saw that it was good and God said let us make Man in our own Image after our Likeness and let them have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Foul of the Air and over the Cattle and over all the Earth and over every Creeping thing that Creepeth upon the Earth so God Created Man in his own Image in the Image of God Created he him Male and Female Created he them and God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Foul of the Air and over every Living thing that moveth upon the Earth and God said behold I have Given you every Herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the Earth and every Tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yeilding seed to you it shall be for ever and to every beast of the Earth and to every Foul of the Air and to every thing that Creepeth upon the Earth wherein there is life I have given every green herb for meat and it was so and God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good the Evening and the Morning were the Sixth day Thus the Heaven and the Earth were finished and all the host of them and on the Seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the Seventh day from all his work which he had made c. These are the generations of the Heavens and of the Earth when they were Created Read the whole first Chapter of Genesis and the beginning of the second c. Observe here the Beautiful and Lowly order of the work of the great God of Order in bringing forth his Beautiâ—ul Creation of Heaven and Earth and all things in them behold he did not make Heaven and Earth and all things that are in them at once or in one day you may here Read what he made the First day and what he made the Second day and what he made the Third day and what he made the Fourth day and what he made the Fifth day and what he made the Sixth day and that he finished and ended his work on the Seventh day Reader here thou mayest see how the works of God were Carried on by degrees to their Compleatness Likewise thou mayest observe the Ignorance of some in our day who say Things among us who profess to be Taught and led by the Light of Christ within are not as they were in the beginning when we were first turned to the Light but here is new Order or Orders set up amongst us several Meetings and Practices which we are afraid will bring in Apostacy Such Ignorant Dark talk as this have I heard from some who account themselves Children of Light Ancient in Truth Grown Wise c. Observe from what God has spoken by the Mouth of Moses as aforesaid that from the First day to the Seventh day in which God ended his work he brought forth New things every day This glorious work he Carried on by degrees till he had Compleated it according to the Counsell of his own will Again observe Man who was at the first made in the likeness of his Maker holy Just and good being seduced deceived by the Serpent who abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth he is become a degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto God by taking eating and doing that which the great God from the first hath forbidden he died the Death according to the word of the Lord and in this degenerate fallen State is dead in trespasses and sins his Spirit mind will and affections dead from God from Purity from Holyness Righteousness and Innocency in this State of Death he doth not Rightly seek after the Living God in this State he is not rightly affected towards him he doth not behold his goodness his glory and Mighty power he doth not Reverence and fear him as he ought neither doth he hunger and thirst after him and his Righteousness Purity Justice Love c. but on the Contrary his dead mind will and affections all dead from God are Imployed and Eâ—ercâ—sed by Satan in that which is Evil and that continually as the Lord hath spoken by the mouth of Moses viz. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only Evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him c. Genesis 6. 5 6. Observe the great and merciful Creator and God of the whole Earth hath promised the Redemption of his Creature Man yea both the Male and Female out of the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God this he hath spoken by the mouths of his Servants as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth when God gave his just and righteous Sentence of Judgment upon the Serpent for his Cursed work of deceiving the Man and the Woman he said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art Cursed above all Cattle and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy Life and I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed and it shall bruise thy Head c. Genesis 3. 14 15. The Apostle writing concerning this Seed saith Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made he saith not and to Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seed which is Christ Gala. 3. 16. This Seed Christ was Glorified with the Father before the World began as he said Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory that I had with thee before the World began Joh. 17. he is that Eternal Divine Word by whom all things were made who lighteth every that cometh into the World who in the days of his Flesh commanded man saying Believe in the Light walk in the Light c. The Apostle writing of him to the Saints said He was Ordained from of old but manifest for you in the last time c. made of the Seed of David and Abraham according to the Flesh â—ut declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead he was made in due time of a Woman under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law he went up and down doing good healing all manner of Diseases Maladies and Sicknesses yea he raised the Dead unto life after which he offered up himself through the Eternal Spirit as a Lamb without spot and blemish an acceptable Sacrifice to God for the remission of the sins of the Transgressors who believe in him and come to the obedience of the Faith he rose from
sons and daughters of God is a work that is carried on by Degrees as Christ hath shewed and set it forth in many Parables shewing the smalness of its beginning as to the sence and apprehension of the Creature in whom it is begun The Kingdom of God in the unregenerate is Compared to a grain of Wheat cast into the Earth which first suffers or dyes but in its suffering or dying brings forth the fruit of its own kind first the blade then the ear then the full or â—ipe Corn in the Ear It is also Compared to a grain of Musâ—ard Seed cast into the Earth which being small yet in the Appointed season of him that gives the increase brings forth fruit plentifully Again it is Compared to Leaven put in three measures of Meal till the whole was Levened Again it is Compared to a Net cast into the Sea which gather good and bad to the shore and gathers the good into Vessels but casts the bad away Observe still here is a glorious Order in the work of mans Regeneration and Restoration to God Man who is turned from Darkness to Light from Sathans power to God with the Light he is come to see his sin Now he is to wait to know God who is a Consuming fire to sin and wickedness to appear in him to burn up and Consume his Sins to Slay that Dragon or Serpent in him who has led him into Sin and hath kept him in it and caused him to take pleasure in the same Now he is to wait to know the Mighty Liveing Dreadful God to appear in him as a refiners fire and as Fullers soap Now he is patiently to bear the Indignation of the Lord because he hath sinned untill he hath Mercy on him for he will not Contend forever with the Repenting believing Penitent ones because he delights in Mercy Now he that thus believes waits and submits to the Chastising hand of the Lord doth not always Continue under his rebukes Chastisement or Judgment in the midest of Judgment he remembers Mercy to such under Judgment he supports the Spirits of these Contrite ones he strengthens them in this Winter season and he Leads them through it as a man of God hath written Behold the Winter is over and gone the time of Rejoycing is come and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land Thus they that have set their faces Sion-wards and are travelling with their faces thither-wards go on and grow from glory to glory from strength to strength from one degree in the grace of Christ Jesus unto another untill they appear in Sion in perfect beauty so these are not like a Dwarff that doth not grow for a Dwarff was by the Law of God forbiden to be a Priest and so was a Lepor but such who believe wait and grow as aforesaid are not as the Dwarff or Lepor and Diseased who are all Corrupt from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot and who hath no Health in them as they say but these are come to Christ the Physician of Value yea the saving Health of all Nations as it s written of him though these can do nothing of themselves yet they can do all things through Christ that strengthens them which the Apostle knew and writ of These have put on the Lord Jesus Christ These make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the Lust thereof these are strengthened by Christ who is Gods glorious power and wisdom in their Inward man as it s written these grow strong in the Lord by degrees these put on the whole Armor of God by which they are defended from all the fiery Darts of the Devil these are made Conquerors in Christ who Destroys the Devil and his works in them To these is given the Spirit of Praise instead of that of heaviness these are returned to Sion with songs of diliverance and Everlasting joy amongst these God reigns in and through them he shines to enlighten the dark World which lyes in wickedness Thus it s written Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Again the Apostle writing of the Beautiful Order of the work of God in Heaven Earth saith There is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory so also is the Resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 41 42. Observe here what the Apostle hath written concerning the Different Order of the Sun Moon and Stars in Heaven saith so is the Resurrection of the dead shewing that the several States and Conditions of those whom Christ hath Quickened or raised in some degree from death to life do also differ in their several degrees of growth in Life Stature and Strength and accordingly do differ in their gifts and places and glory and beauty in the Resurrection from Death to Life Christ said to them whom he had Quickened I am come that you might have life and that you may have it more abundantly Againe The Psalmist who was Anointed by God and his appointment both Prophet and King writ thus Praise ye the Lord Praise the Lord from the Heavens Praise him in the heights Praise ye him all ye his Angels Praise ye him all ye his hosts Praise ye him Sun and Moon Praise ye him all ye Stars of Light Praise him ye Heavens of Heavens and ye Waters that be above the Heavens Let them praise the Name of Lord for he commanded and they were Created he hath also Established them forever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass Praise the Lord from the Earth ye Dragons and all deeps Fire and Haile Snow and Vapour Stormy Wind fulfilling his word Mountains and all Hills fruitfull trees and all Cedars Beasts and all Cattle Creeping things and flying Fouls Kings of the Earth and all People Princes and all Judges of the Earth both young Men and Maidens old Men and Children let them Praise the Name of the Lord for his name alone is Excellent his Glory is above the Earth and Heaven c. Pâ—al 148. read it through Here again Observe the great God of Order who in the beginning Created all things in Order and placed them in their Order in Heaven and Earth all which was very good he calls of them in Order by the mouth of his Prophet to praise Magnifie and Glorifie him for whose glory and honour they all were Created good in the beginning Oh vain Man who under the Dark power of Satan has been bred up in thy Transgression as a Wild Asses Colt or as a Wild Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke or thou that hast known the yoke of Christ and cast it off wouldest thou in thy folly limit the Holy one of Israel in the beginning Carrying on and Compleating of his Creating anew in Christ Jesus the fallen degenerated and dead Sons and Daughters of Adam who have believed in his divine Spirit
Grace be with you all Amen Heb. 13. 7 17 24 25. Observe Though the many sorts of false Teachers have and do falsly pretend to watch for the Soul who watch only for their own corrupt earthly Ends as by their Fruits have and doth appear yet God did of old and now doth send faithful Labourers into his Vineyard who have and do labour and watch for the Salvation of the Souls of the Sons and Daughters of Men glory be given to him for the same These faithful Watchers are known by their Fruits they covet no Mans Gold Silver or Apparel they do not watch for Earthly gain they do not take the oversight of the Flock for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind they are not Lords over Gods Heritage but good Examples to the Flock they are not Lords over the Faith of the People of God But they are Fellow-helpers of their Joy Peace Comfort and Establishment in the way of Righteousness They Preach and give freely according to Christs Command they walk in Love to Friends and Enemies witnessing against that which is Evil in all without Partiality and without Hypocrisie and the Fruits of Righteousness is sown by them in peace they have peace with God and live in Love and Peace one with another They have learned of Christ Jesus true Humility true Lowliness of Mind and Heart in which they Preach in their good Example as well as Doctrine to the honour of God and the good of his People they labour in the Word and Doctrine of the Gospel and in a good Conversation in Christ that he may be Exalted in all both Male and Female to Rule in all whose Right it is These do not seek their own glory or exalt themselves but in humility they glorifie God with their Souls and Bodies which are his and faithfully and unweariedly serve God and his People in patience possessing their Souls in all their Tryals and Afflictions Again Paul writ to Timothy saying An Overseer or Bishop in the Church of God must not be an Novice that is a young Scholar one lately begotten to the Faith of Christ or one that is Raw and unskilful in the word of Righteousness lest being lifted up with pride he falls into the Condemnation of the Devil see 1 Tim. 3. 6. Again he writ to him viz. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine Chap. 5. v. 17. Again he writ to the believing Romans thus viz. For I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath deâ—â—t to every man the measure of Faith for as we have many Members in one Body and all Members have not the same Office so we being many are one Body in Christ and every one Members one of another having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us whether Prophesie let us Prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry let us wait on our Ministrying or he that Teacheth on Teaching or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation he that giveth let him do it with Simplicity he that Ruleth with diligence he that sheweth Mercy with cheerfulness let Love be without Dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good be kindly affectionated one to another with Brotherly love in Honour preferring one another c. Rom. 12. 3. to 11. My Friends all you that Profess to be Members of the Church of Christ and taught by his Spirit and Light within you by what is here written given forth by the Apostle as he was moved by the Holy Ghost you may understand that there is a Rule and Government in the Church of God in his Power Wisdom and Strength for his Glory who is the Head of it And you may also understand hereby that Christ the Head hath given Gifts differing by the same Spirit for the Preservation Edification and well Ordering and Governing his Church and every one is to attend on his Gift in the Church and to improve the same which being done is to the Increase of the Body for the Edification of it in Love Moreover by what is before written you may understand that the Apostle through the Grace of God given to him did warn every Man amongst the believing Romans not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God had dealt to every man the measure of Faith Observe If every one which profess the Light and Spirit of Christ within to be their Guide and Teacher did obey and walk in it it would teach them all not to think too highly of themselves or of their States and Conditions in the Truth which some do and if such of the aforesaid Professors were so Taught then would they not think nor speak so highly of themselves or of their Sights Knowledg and Growth in the Truth as they do far beyond what they really are then would they not be so puffed up self-conceited and unruly as they are then would they live quietly peaceably and harmlesly among the People of God to his Glory and the Comfort of his People and their own peace and rest which some do not but are contentious unruly and disorderly self conceited fretful and clamorous with Tongues and Pens Oh that they could seek and find a place of unfeigned Repentance it would much rejoyce my Soul to see it Concerning the Living Faith with its fruits and works COncerning Faith the Apostle thus writ viz. Now the just shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him saith the Lord God but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul By Faith the Elders obtained a good report Through Faith we understand the World was framed by the Word of God By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain By Faith Enoch was Translated that he should not see death but without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him By Faith Noah was warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac By Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the Recompence of Reward by Faith he kept the Passover c. I may say with this faithful Author What shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of